tiko lo
The Fijian phrase for "shut up" is tiko lo.
tiko lo is used to command someone to stop talking.
Meaning: "Stop talking." (intj)
Did you know?
- In many Fijian communities, silence is often a sign of respect, so using a verbal command to demand it can actually feel quite jarring and aggressive.
- The word tiko is one of the most common verbs in the language, used to describe existence or staying in a place, which makes the phrase feel more like 'stay there' than 'be quiet'.
- The versatility of tiko means that if you remove lo, you are no longer telling someone to shut up but rather asking them to stay or remain present.
Example conversation
Mere and Jone are arguing in the kitchen.
- MereTiko lo, Jone!Shut up, Jone!
- JoneSega, au na vosa!No, I will speak!
- MereTiko lo mada me da vakasama.Shut up for a bit so we can think.
- JoneSeregi, au na tiko lo.Fine, I'll shut up.
